It’s A Man’s World. Polly Courtney

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СКАЧАТЬ whether this modelling shoot was some kind of ironic attempt to boost the girl’s self-esteem.

      Alexa thought about this for a moment, wondering whether she had hit on something. Was it self-esteem that made her different from the nineteen-year-old standing in front of her? Or self-respect? Alexa squirmed uncomfortably as the makeup artist surveyed her handiwork. She was trying to work out who had more self-respect: the woman who took her clothes off for a lads’ mag, or the woman who refused to do so. She couldn’t help thinking that the last six weeks had done something to dent her confidence.

      ‘Have you got enough clean stills?’ asked Jamie, jolting Alexa out of her thoughts. ‘I was thinking, we could do a couple of hair-bra shots – you’ve got lovely hair, Kayleigh.’

      Kayleigh giggled nervously. ‘Thanks.’

      The photographer nodded. ‘Good idea. Let’s give it a go.’

      ‘Maybe using the props?’ Jamie suggested, nodding at the desk by the window, which supported a selection of pens, papers and books that were presumably there to remind the reader that Kayleigh was a student.

      The props helped, Alexa noticed. Kayleigh looked almost sassy, crawling along the desk on all fours, her buttocks raised in the air and her breasts hanging low, obscured by a thin veil of hair. On the photographer’s advice, she played with the various items of stationery provided, sucking pencils, slapping rulers against her backside and pretending to read while donning a pair of fake glasses.

      ‘That’s great!’ cried the videographer. ‘More please!’

      ‘Awesome.’ The photographer nodded at Jamie. ‘We’ve got something here.’

      Alexa felt a vibration in her pocket and pulled out her phone. She had two text messages.

      Of course I remember

       Loopy Lara. Didn’t she only eat pink food or sthing? Horrible little brat. Wouldn’t wish her on my worst enemy. xL

      Alexa smiled and opened the message from Matt.

      Is she hot? Would

       U be tempted . . .?

      She stifled a laugh. Matt had seemed genuinely concerned about the risk of Alexa being ‘converted’, having latched on to some bizarre idea that girl-on-girl action was something that happened quite frequently, out of the blue. He had obviously been reading too much Banter, she thought wryly.

      She’s young. Currently

       posing for a ‘knee bra’ shot. Extremely turned on. Ax

      Alexa tucked her phone away and refocused on the action. Jamie seemed to be pleased with how things were going.

      ‘Well done, Kayleigh. That’s really great. Are you okay to do a few topless shots now?’

      Kayleigh nodded, slowly reaching round and gathering the dark locks of hair to reveal her full, heavy breasts.

      ‘That’s good,’ said Jamie, under his breath. ‘They’re real. The readers prefer real ones.’

      Alexa nodded, watching as the photographer directed Kayleigh to sit on the chair, open her legs and straighten her back. She didn’t feel right. Perhaps it was the muted references to various parts of the girl’s body that bothered her. Jamie seemed respectful enough, but Alexa couldn’t help noticing the way his brief exchanges with the photographer centred around Kayleigh’s hair, thigh or breasts as though they were parts of a mannequin in a window display.

      ‘Okay!’ The photographer eventually ran out of poses and started checking through his shots. ‘I think we’re done.’ He beckoned for Kayleigh to take a look. ‘Loads of great stuff here.’

      Kayleigh grabbed her bra from the floor and pulled it on, her inhibitions visibly returning.

      ‘Oh my God!’ Kayleigh gasped as she caught sight of herself on the screen. ‘I look like a real model!’

      The photographer smiled modestly, flicking through a selection for the girl to see. Alexa wondered what it must be like to see topless photographs of yourself, knowing that in a couple of weeks’ time, they would be plastered across the back pages of a national magazine. She couldn’t help feeling a shudder of panic on Kayleigh’s behalf.

      The videographer caught Jamie’s eye. ‘Can we do a few words to the camera?’

      ‘Oh yes, of course.’ Jamie wandered over to the tripod and gently interrupted. He was very genteel, noted Alexa. They all were. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but perhaps she had foreseen an element of seediness in today’s shoot – a lewd remark or possibly some inappropriate gestures. There had been nothing like that. The only crudeness at Banter, as far as she could tell, went on behind women’s backs – in the office upstairs.

      The videographer checked the settings on his camera and looked at Kayleigh, who was subtly plumping her breasts inside her bra.

      ‘I want you to say “Hi, I’m Kayleigh and you’re watching Banter TV.” Okay?’

      Kayleigh nodded, looking down to check on her cleavage. She suddenly looked nervous again.

      ‘Ready when you are.’

      ‘Hi, I’m Banter TV and . . . oh, sorry.’

      ‘That’s okay.’ The videographer smiled. ‘Try again.’

      ‘Hi, I’m Kayleigh and – sorry. What was it again?’

      ‘Don’t panic. Just take it slowly. It’s “Hi, I’m Kayleigh and you’re watching Banter TV.”’

      ‘Okay.’ Kayleigh took a deep breath and looked down the barrel of the video camera. Then she turned away, flushed and exasperated. ‘Oh God. I can’t do it!’

      Jamie wandered over, offering a glass of water.

      ‘Hey, Kayleigh, there’s no rush. We can take all afternoon if you like.’

      Alexa admired his tact. She knew how much work Jamie had on his plate upstairs; he was always the last to leave the office at night. He certainly wouldn’t want to take all afternoon.

      With a shaky hand, Kayleigh returned the empty glass to the pictures editor and flashed him an apologetic look.

      ‘Tell you what,’ said Jamie. ‘Just do a dry-run. No pressure; we’ll leave the camera off and you can just practise what you’re going to say.’

      ‘Okay.’ She nodded. ‘Right.’ Kayleigh looked darkly into the camera and in a slow, sexy voice, growled: ‘Hi, I’m Kayleigh and you’re watching Banter TV.’

      The videographer smiled. ‘Got it.’

      Kayleigh frowned. ‘What d’you mean? That was a practice.’

      ‘Oh, I must have left the camera running by mistake.’ The videographer glanced at Jamie. ‘That’s lucky, isn’t it?’

      Alexa had to stop herself from laughing. Kayleigh was an ideal candidate for ‘Brainy Banter’.

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